Drop in prison breaks in last decade

Johannesburg - The number of escapes from South African prisons has declined the past decade, Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele's office said on Thursday.

The most escapes in the past decade were 281 in 2002/3, and the least were 41 in 2011/12, said spokesperson Logan Maistry.

"Over the past four years... 225 escapees were reported, with the majority (67) of escapees in the Free State/Northern Cape region and the least (20) in the Limpopo/Mpumalanga/North West region."

People remanded in custody accounted for 51% of those who escaped in the past four years.

The most recent escape was on 25 August, when 11 people escaped from the Barkly East prison in the Eastern Cape.

Correctional services official Mzukisi Michael Dusubana, 54, was shot dead during the escape. Maistry said all 11 escapees had since been re-arrested.

"Although we are encouraged by reports that department of correctional services officials are succeeding in the down management of escapes, one escape is one too many," said Maistry.

The department was continuously assessing strategies and infrastructure to secure correctional facilities, inmates in transit, and inmates in public places, such as hospitals and courts.

Maistry said negligent officials would face disciplinary action and if suspected of aiding an escape, they would be investigated by the police.

Comments

shirley.steenkamp - 2012-09-06 18:18

Mmmm...bad economic times =cheap bribes.

Robin - 2012-09-07 06:56

Zuma just let them out anyway

lee.farrington - 2012-09-06 18:38

This is because we let them out under government pardons instead!

spiekeries - 2012-09-06 18:45

hmmm, the statistics are flawed, they left out the government employees

dnxumalo2 - 2012-09-06 18:51

Maybe its because there is limited amount of vaseline that Ananias Mathe is stil in prison.

brionyl.french - 2012-09-07 05:32

Well of course, in prison its the only the place the ANC kept its word on free housing, free water and electricity, free education, DSTV, plus all the friends you can muster.... SERIOUSLY!!!!! PRISON SHOULD BE HELL SO PEOPLE STOP DOING CRIME, INSTEAD ITS A HOTEL FOR THE POOR... i would rather sleep in prison than on the streets in a the cold or wet... wouldnt anyone!!!

johan.dekoning.39 - 2012-10-18 22:25

You got that spot on and i see that first-hand.

sharon.truebodyvice - 2012-09-07 08:03

We know why their is a drop in prison breaks "no one is being sent to prison because they all sick"